Argentina - Guarderia Nuestra Señora de la Merced

The Organization

The Integrated Assistance Program was implemented in 2002 in "Nuestra Señora de la Merced” Day Care Center, located in barrio Obligado, province of Buenos Aires. At that moment, the Center was in danger of being shut down due to the ongoing economic crisis, thus having to leave more than 100 children in the streets.

Today, the Day Care Center is functioning within its full capacity, the facilities have been improved and it receives more than 120 children a day, offering them academic assistance, after-school programs, two daily meals and medical care.

The Children

These children belong to extremely low-income families suffering from very diverse problems such as unemployment, drug addiction, alcoholism and family violence. They live in very precarious conditions, many times without access to basic services. Their parents' educational level is very low; most of them only finished elementary school. Many of the parents are unemployed or underemployed and others survive with government subsidies. The children suffer all kinds of deficiencies: inadequate nutrition that generates health and learning problems, lack of access to sanitary prevention and control, they spend most of their time in the streets, they live in unstable homes, many times without a loving, caring adult who can listen to and protect them.